


Of Novels, Cheesecakes, and Rabbit Charms

by Konpeki_no_Sora



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non-Idol AU, overprotective Tenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 11:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20290369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Konpeki_no_Sora/pseuds/Konpeki_no_Sora
Summary: Iori, a part-time bookstore employee, has his eyes set on Riku, a frequent patron. Mitsuki, Iori's older brother who is working at the cafe, and Tamaki, Iori's co-workers, concoct a plan for Iori and Riku to know each other more. It should go on smoothly, right?





	Of Novels, Cheesecakes, and Rabbit Charms

**Author's Note:**

> This is my work as part of the i7 Flash Bang 2019. Special thanks to the beta-readers responsible in helping me edit the draft and the mods for making the project possible. 
> 
> My partner is XII/Lia who is responsible for the fanart portion of this fic. Here's the Twitter link to the fanart if you wanna see it: [Click Here](https://twitter.com/xiiyu_u/status/1162928070317076480)

“So, there’s a frequent patron at the bookstore who has a fondness for novels, right?” Mitsuki Izumi asked as he arranged chocolate cake slices inside the refrigerated display case. 

“Mmhmmm. Iorin gets distracted by him,” Tamaki Yotsuba, sharing a table with his co-worker, replied, taking a spoonful of his pudding.

“And I told you to keep quiet on such matters, Yotsuba-san. Your voice is sometimes a hindrance to the atmosphere of the bookstore,” Iori Izumi snapped. He sipped his cup of dark roast, sweetened slightly with sugar.

“Tell me more about him,” Mitsuki said curiously.

“His name’s Riku Nanase, but I call him Rikkun. He’s living together with Tenten, that music store employee,” Tamaki supplied, having finished his pudding in record time. “They’re twins,” he added on before inspecting the cup. “Ah, Mikki, do you have seconds?”

“We don’t sell pudding here, but we can give you cake. First slice is on me,” Mitsuki said. Tamaki let out a cheer, pumping his fist in the air. 

“I’m not interested in Nanase-san. It’s just normal for me to make sure that every customer is satisfied,” Iori protested, playing the tsundere card again. Tamaki and Mitsuki knew better than to fall for such lies. Iori, despite being smart in class, was a terrible liar.

“But there’s that look on your face,” Tamaki teased with a grin. Mitsuki nodded as he set down two slices of chocolate cake, one for each of them.

“You two should go on a date,” Mitsuki suggested to his brother. “Do you have his number?”

Tamaki dug the fork into his cake slice. “I actually asked Rikkun for it and slipped the paper into Iorin’s bag.”

Iori’s eyes dilated in shock. “You _ what?!” _

That was when a tall blond male stepped in. “OH! A date! How exciting!” Nagi, the other employee, exclaimed. “One day, you two will be under the influence of love, a flower that grows beautifully. A fantastic sight indeed. I wish you good luck with the partner of your dreams!”

And that was enough for Iori to drop his head onto the table, groaning. Mitsuki laughed sheepishly, “Thanks for the support, Nagi, but please, get to work.”

* * *

_ Why did I even agree to this? _

The next day came quickly, and Iori soon found himself at the station. Thanks to the phone number Tamaki slipped him, Iori had successfully asked if he could meet up with Riku today, as it was Iori’s day off. He even took his time picking something casual to wear. 

He checked his watch. Riku was late. What was that idiot doing?

“Iori!!!”

Riku dashed towards him, panting and almost tripping into a pole. Iori nearly blushed at the sight of him. _ He’s cute. _

“You are five minutes late, Nanase-san.”

“Sorry. Had to convince Tenn-nii that it’s fine for me to head off on my own since I know the way. He can be overbearing at times,” Riku explained. Iori’s expression began to soften and he concealed it with a fake cough.

“Where shall we go first? There must be some places that are-” Riku’s grasp on Iori’s wrist interrupted him.

“There’s a cheesecake shop nearby. Let’s go there!” The redhead sprinted off, dragging Iori behind him before the other could protest.

* * *

The cheesecake shop’s ambiance was cozy despite the modern decor. Riku and Iori got in line to order.

“Oh, that lemon cheesecake looks good, though there’s also the strawberry and blueberry ones, too. Ugh… Can’t choose,” Riku muttered, crimson eyes flicking over the display case.

“I researched this shop before when Nii-san asked me for ideas for what can be sold at the coffee shop. The lemon cheesecake has lemon zest and juice in the mixture with candied lemon peels and slices for garnish to accentuate the citrus flavor. But the berries in the blueberry one are imported from New Zealand, while the strawberries are locally sourced. We should try out the strawberry and lemon ones as they are currently in season,” Iori explained. 

Riku’s eyes sparkled when the other was done lecturing. “Amazing! I never thought you'd be this knowledgeable. You must like sweets a lot.”

Iori’s heart lurched at the sight of those eyes. _ Oh no, he’s adorable _, he thought, but he pushed it down, clearing his throat. He blushed, saying, “I mean, I am a smart person, and it’s natural for me to know a lot of important details for Nii-san’s job. Don’t get the wrong idea, Nanase-san.”

After they ordered and Iori paid, they chose a table near the window. Riku forked a piece of lemon cheesecake into his mouth and hummed in delight. “Mmmm… This is definitely sour but I like the creaminess of the cheesecake blended with the sweetness from the candied lemons. It’s delicious!”

It was a good thing his eyes were closed, because at that moment Iori took a picture with the camera app on his phone. Thank goodness for the gentle shutter noise because Riku didn’t need to know how smitten Iori was. At least, not yet. He was quick to put the phone down before Riku could notice anything. They ended up exchanging bites between the two of then, not minding a few teasing comments from the people nearby.

A beeping noise from Riku’s phone interrupted the moment. Riku fished it out from his pocket and answered. “Hello?”

“Where are you, Riku?”

Riku recognized the familiar tone. “Tenn-nii? I’m at the cheesecake place, but why are you calling me? Shouldn’t you wait till your work break to contact me?”

But Tenn ignored his concern. “Are you on your date right now?”

Riku gulped; this would not go well. “Yes, but I’m fine -”

“Let me talk to him, because I am sure that he will-”

Suddenly, there was another voice, an angry one, along with shuffling noises, stopping Tenn from finishing his sentence. It seemed that Tenn’s phone was snatched away because there was someone else now conversing with Riku. “Apologies, Nanase. Turns out Tenn’s in the bathroom and several customers are asking for our assistance. Ryuu and I were searching for him when we heard his voice.”

Riku let out a small gasp. “Y-yaotome-san?”

“I’m sure your date will turn out just fine. Enjoy it. See you later.”

And the call was hung up just like that. Riku sighed, mumbling in a sad tone, “I appreciate that Tenn-nii’s concerned about me, but still…”

“Nanase-san, are you alright?” Iori asked, anxious.

Riku’s reply was a shake of his head and a forced smile, “I’ll be fine. Let’s finish things up here and head somewhere else.”

* * *

_Why the Usamimi Friends store, of all places?_

Iori was this close to having a heart attack at the sight of his favorite mascots. Riku grasped his arm to drag him inside so they could pick what to buy. While Riku was looking around at the enormous plethora of merchandise available, Iori’s gray eyes were honing in on one particular item.

A matching pair of Roppu-chan phone charms, one dark blue and the other red. It was as if fate wanted them to be together, but no, he had to resist.

“Oh, those are cute. Do you want me to buy that for you?” Riku appeared behind Iori, face close to his shoulder. Iori panicked, nearly tumbling to the floor because he was so caught up contemplating the decision himself.

“Idiot! Don’t scare me like that!” Iori yelled, face turning red with embarrassment. 

“But… don’t you really want those, though?” Riku’s eyes shone with anticipation. _ Great, _ Iori had to face that look from Riku, of all people. He sighed, composing himself.

“I suppose. My phone may need some sprucing up after being plain for so long,” Iori replied, and Riku was quick to hug him in contagious joy.

“Thank you, Iori! Then we should exchange colors as a memento of our date,” Riku grinned.

Iori grimaced. “Get off me before somebody gets the wrong idea.”

Riku’s phone beeped again, prompting the two to separate, and Riku to fish out the device from his messenger bag. He sighed upon finding out that the call was from Tenn again, but it would be rude not to answer. He picked up the call. “Hello?”

“Riku, where are you right now?”

He frowned. Tenn was at it again. “I’m at the Usamimi Friends shop. Can we talk later when you are off from-”

“No. Let me talk to your date. Now.”

Indeed, there he went again, being a bit too concerned. Riku was about to reply when there were noises at the other end, followed by yelling. There was another voice speaking on the phone, more baritone than Gaku and Tenn’s. “Ah, Riku-kun, sorry about that. I hope you are okay,” the voice said, laced with worry.

Riku was once again surprised. “Tsunashi-san?” He could imagine Ryuu’s brotherly smile.

“Gaku and I actually found Tenn in the storage room this time. We’ll try to calm him down,” Ryuu replied. “I understand that he’s concerned about you, and working hard for your sake, but he should stop this habit of sneaking off or he’ll get fired. Anyway, have fun on your special day with your date. See you later.” With that, Ryuu hung up.

That was when Iori noticed the crestfallen look on Riku’s face. “Shall we head to the park?”

Riku nodded with a sad smile on his face. “Thanks, Iori.”

* * *

The rabbit charms hung on their phones, kept safe in their bags, as they walked to a nearby bench at the park. Iori sat down first, providing a comfortable distance for Riku’s sake when the other followed. Riku’s hands were on his lap, eyes cast down. Iori leaned back against the bench. “Is your brother still checking on you?” he asked. He never thought that Tenn would actually go this far.

“He had been like this since our parents were killed in a car accident. Tenn-nii became the breadwinner and took care of me,” Riku replied, a lonely smile blossoming on his lips. “I love that he works so hard to make sure I’ll have a better future, but sometimes, he just can’t leave me alone, doing errands and chores at home, studying at school. I know he’s worried about me because he doesn’t want to lose me like we lost our parents but… I’m hoping that Tenn-nii can cut me some slack.”

Hearing that confession helped Iori understand Riku a little more. Maybe they weren’t so different after all. A gentle smile graced his face. “I appreciate your honesty, Nanase-san. Nii-san was like that, too, when I was younger. He still tends to worry about me. But you should still try to settle things with your brother.”

Riku frowned, “I’m hoping that he’ll listen to me for once.” The conversation was once again cut short by his phone ringing and Riku was now starting to get annoyed. Nonetheless, he picked up the device and answered, “Hello?”

“Riku-kun, are you at the park? Tenn’s actually on the way there. He said he needed some fresh air since it’s our break right now but we figured that it was a lie when one of our frequent customers mentioned that he took a taxi. Gaku and I fell for it,” Ryuu replied, his tone twinged with guilt. “Please, be careful.” Ryuu then hung up.

Riku’s heart cracked a bit more. Either Tenn would listen to him and stop being an arse or remain stubborn, not even allowing Riku to see Iori again. His thoughts were interrupted when Iori placed his hand on his shoulder. Riku’s frightened gaze connected with Iori’s steady one.

“Nanase-san, everything will be fine. Whatever happens, I will be among those willing to help you,” Iori said. As much as Iori wanted to be selfish, he also wanted his date to cherish the help from other sources. He quickly let go before the soft warmth seeped into his palm. 

Riku managed a nod. They heard footsteps approaching, and when he looked up, he was met with the serious face of his twin brother. Meekly, he said, “Tenn-nii…”

“I should have known that your date was Iori Izumi, of all people. You constantly mutter about him. Forget him and come with me, Riku,” Tenn’s rose-colored eyes narrowed, glaring at the two with rageful intensity.

“Why do you always have to do this? He didn’t hurt me, and I was happy spending time with him today-” Riku tried to explain but was rudely cut off.

“It’s for your own good, Riku! Stay away from him!”

That was it. Riku stood up to shout at Tenn when Iori stretched out his arm, blocking him from physical confrontation. “Pardon me, but you didn’t give him a chance to explain things fully. I’ll leave you alone so that you two can talk things out, but let me say this,” Iori stood up, picking up his own bag. “You should think twice before judging people so quickly.”

“But, Iori…” Riku’s tone was melancholic.

“See you later, Nanase-san.”

He didn’t listen to the calls of his name as he left. Deep inside, Iori was disappointed and upset, but if he gave Riku time to resolve their issues, his hope was that the end result would be a positive one.

* * *

“Thank you, come again!” Tamaki waved at a departing customer before approaching Iori, who was arranging the new books with a sad expression. “You ended up having to leave early during the date yesterday, but you’re right. Rikkun and Tenten should patch things up,” he said.

Iori sighed. “I hope that my decision won’t make me lose Nanase-san’s trust.”

“Whaddya mean, Iorin?”

“Nothing. We have two more boxes to unpack,” Iori admonished. But as the two were about to head to the back, excited footsteps and a bright, familiar voice sounded behind them. 

“Iori!!”

“Ah, Rikkun!” Tamaki waved at him while Iori fought the blush creeping up his cheeks.

“It was a rocky start, but the talk went well in the end. Tenn-nii apologized for calling me too much during work and made sure not to cause too much trouble for Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san,” Riku explained, “And also for ruining our date.”

Iori frowned, though he internally sighed in relief. “Glad to know.”

“But as a compromise, I have to tell him everything once I’m done with the activities for the day.”

So much for Tenn leaving Riku alone completely, but at least there was less chance for disturbances. Riku took Iori’s hand, his face lit up with delight. “Iori, is the new novel I was talking about here? Let me see!”

Iori’s blush was faint, but present as he smiled. “You are just in time. Yotsuba-san and I are going to unpack the new boxes. Follow us.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I'll participate in the project again once round 3 comes along, but I'll see about that. Anyway, hope that you guys enjoy what I could come up for the project. Feel free to leave a kudos and comment if you like.


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